Collapsible table



Dec. 2, 1930. w. J. BAUER COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed Feb. 16, 1929 INVENTOR I V/LL/AM 41 5/11/18? ATTORNEY Patented Dec. i2, 1. .30

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. BAUER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Application filed February 16, 1929. Serial No. 340,549.

The invention relates generally to furniings, and looking in the direction of the ture construction, and more especially to a arrows. rtin me b r f the collapsible type, I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail vertical secfor example, a table having supporting legs t1 0I 1 of a corner of the table in inverted con- 5 hi h are d si d t f ld d rn th s id dltion, and illustrates in the dotted line posit bl wh th Same i not in u d t b tion the action of automatic collapse of the extended substantially at right angles to $11 P }g leg members. its top portion when it is desired to place e g the drawings,10 designates 1111 s id t bl i i enclosing member for affording a frame, for

10 It has for its object, in furniture structures example of q e other desired p and 80 of this character, to accomplish automaticaladapted recelve h l Platform element ly not only the folding under of the support- A fimshmg StYlP also e Provided ing legs thereof but also their extension into eboul} the frame Whlch frame i d p i i f Supporting th t or l tf sufiiclent depth to conceal or retain therein,

15 portion; and, withal, to id a simple, when thetable s collapsed,the supportingleg eifective and inexpensive construction for members deslgned to pp P Securing the same. the table is to be erected for use, as indicated To this end, the novel supporting member 111 comprises legs or like supporting elements Inflns condemn, the legs extend 0 which are pivotally attached to the understantlaliy at fight ePgles to geld p 11 311d surface of the top or platform portion of the are deslgned to Swmg freely downwardly table and are further secured thereto through therefrom t from the frame to a flexible connection including two hinged Whlch they are p y attached T1118 members, one of which serves as a brace and tachment y be effected; for p by is pivoted to the corresponding leg member means of ufshape retmmpg bracket 14 while the other is constrained by a suitable ldly secured respeptlve (iomerspf the trackway to movement substantially parallel frame and l'etalnlng a pivot in or rivet 15 to the platform. The last-named member, passndg through the PW en of fitted moreover is arranged to lock automatically thereln so that the same is free to swing downwhen a corresponding leg member has been wardly from the undersurface of the top or extended to a position substantially at right phitforfn Pornon the table angles to the top or platform portion of the n f' to sustam the legs or s.upportm.g table. When the table is inverted, however, t' m the p substantlally.ver.tl' this locking engagement: is released auto; cal position, shown in F1gs. 1-3, there is p1vmaticauy and H16 16 gs then collapse under otally attached to each of said legs 13 one end the action of gravity. falling to a position of supporting brace m b h other against the undersur-fice of the top end of these members is pivoted or hlnged to The nature of the invention however, will an arm 17 disposed substantially parallel to the table to 11 and extendin inwardly from b be g ig when defscnbsd its point 0 attachment or pl ntle 17 toward 3290 e accompanymg rgwmgs m the pivoting U-bracket M for the correspondin leg. A trackway 18, moreover, is pro- Fig. 1 1s a perspective underneatlrvlew Vi ed along the Side of the frame 10 and is showing a table member, as one embodiment located parallel to a i arm 7 I h 46 ef my Y v in the erectedposlti9ntrackway there is designed to ride a roller 19,

9 2 1S a fragmentary detall Vertlcfll rotatably mounted on the pintle 17' or in the tion illustrating the manner of maintaining i f atta h t f th brace 16 d arm the table-supporting legs in position. 17, as well as a roller 20 which is rotatably Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section mounted atthe inner end of said arm 17. The

so taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 of the drawtwo hinged members constituted by the brace 16 and arm 17 may thus be collapsed or separated accordingly as the legs are brought inwardly or extended, the rollers 19 and 20 riding inthe trackway l8 conformably to the movementthat is to say, when swinging outwardly the legs 13 to a position at right angles to the table top 11, said rollers will move inwardly toward the corresponding pivoting U-brackets 14; and when collapsing the legs, move in a direction away from the same, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings, wherein the position shown in dotted lines illustrates the action in the case of the movement of said rollers away from the U-bracket end of a trackway.

Said trackways, moreover, are provided at their extreme inner end with a depressed or notched portion 21 in which an inner roller 20 is designed to drop when a corresponding leg 13 attains a position substantially at right angles to the table top 11, as when the table is in the normal erected position suitable for use. The depth of this notch is made sufficient to insure the dropping of the center of roller 20 below the lower edge of the trackway and thus secure a substantial lock against outward movement of the two hinged members, whereby the legs 13 are rigidly braced and maintained in the extended position.

However, when the table is inverted, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, rollers 520 will drop under the action of gravity out of their said holding notches 21 through movement of the arms 17 about the pintles or points of attachment of same to the upper ends of the braces 16 so that both rollers 19 and 20 will be again free to move outwardly in their trackways 18 which follow as the legs fall inwardly under the action of gravity. To assist the locking and release actions, the rollers 20 are preferably 0t substantial weight. By slightly jarring the table, or, usually merely through the inverting of the same, legs 13 will become unbalanced and fall readily under the action of gravity downwardly against the undersurface of the top 11 and collapse the table as a whole so that it may be stored away conveniently and without occupying unnecessary space. In order to retain the legs in the collapsed condition, especially while carrying the table. it is preferred to provide spring clips 22 to engage the free ends of the legs and exert a yielding holding pressure thereon to normally retain said legs in place, but readily releasing the same upon slightly jarring the table.

It will be observed, therefore, that the table may be readily erected, merely by lifting the top sufficiently to allow the legs 13 to drop into position (or jarring the table slightly) and may as readily be collapsed merely by reversing the action, that is to say, inverting the said top. The table withal is rigidly supported when erected and held in substantial locked position, thus affording a very satisfactory article of the character described.

I claim:

1. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element, a plurality of supporting legs pivotally attached thereto, braces pivotally attached at their one end to the respective legs, arms pivoted to the other ends of said braces, a roller carried by each of said arms, and trackways mounted beneath the table top and in which the respective rollers are designed to ride.

2. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element, a plurality of supporting legs pivotally attached thereto, braces pivotally attached at their one end to the respective legs, arms pivoted to the other ends of said braces, a roller carried at the extreme inner end of each of the arms and a roller mounted at the point of connection of each of the said brace members and corresponding arms, and trackways mounted beneath the table top and in which the respective pairs of rollers are designed to ride.

3. A collapsible article of furniture, conr prising a top or platform element, a plurality of supporting legs pivotally attached thereto, braces pivotally attached attheir one end to the respective legs, arms pivoted to the other ends of said braces, a roller carried by each of said arms, and trackways mounted beneath the table top and in which the respective rollers are designed to ride, the respective tracks at their inner ends having depressed portions or notches into which a roller drops when a corresponding leg is fully extended.

4. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platform element. a plurality of supporting legs pivotally attached thereto, braces pivotally attached at their one end to the respective legs, arms pivoted to the other ends of said braces, a roller carried by each of said arms and trackways mounted beneath the table top and in which the respective rollers are designed. to ride, the respective tracks at their inner ends having depressed portions or notches of a depth exceeding the radius of the roller and into which a roller drops when a corresponding leg is fully extended.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

WILLIAM J. BAUER. 

